Thursday, December 31, 2009

found out we were pregnant again which came as a big surprise!February-We decked in red and pink and

braced ourselves as we waited for our little one to grow.

March-We visited Disney for the first time and

played at the park.April-We finally shared our good news at 16

weeks that we were pregnant!May-We went to the beach...not nearly enough!

June-It got hot...and mommy grew!

July-We were busy preparing for miss eliza...mommy

sewing and daddy painting!

August-mommy got put on bedrest...and we couldn't wait

for eliza to arrive!

September-so richly blessed by this healthy

bundle of cuteness!October-We celebrated another Birthday!

November-We feasted and were thankful as we

survived a rough season of sickness!December-We enjoyed a blessed Christmas with our

two girls!I am naturally a planner and organizer and sometimes drive myself and others crazy. This is the way God wired me and I enjoy making list, crossing off lists, making goals and keeping my ducks in a row. As I reflect back on 2009 there are many things I can cross off my list...yet so many more things I want and seek to accomplish.

2009 was a blessed and yet difficult year at times. We started the year by finding out we were pregnant again right on the tail of a miscarriage. My doctor didn't even believe it was true and at 5 weeks we had a major scare and thought for sure this pregnancy too was ending...yet God had other plans for miss eliza. This year was more difficult as a mother. I found it challenging to be pregnant and HOT while caring for a toddler. I also found it challenging as my sweet and compliant baby turned into a toddler who had a mind of her own. I struggled to find my way as a mom in disciplining and being patient. I still have a lot to learn in this area. Kev took a much needed break in teaching Sunday School on a full-time basis and devoted more time to school work. He always seems to stay really busy!

This year was so blessed as we watched my belly grow and also watched our ella grow. It seems she went from a baby in Jan. to a big girl in December. She learned so much this year and talks all the time. She constantly entertains us with what she says and does.

My goals for 2010 are to read through my One Year Bible! This was my goal for 2009 and I was consistent through March and stopped! I really sense my need to be in God's Word on my own daily! I struggle in this area and want to experience God in a new and real way in 2010.

I also want to get outside more. I am not naturally and outside person. I am not sure why because I do like being outside! I want to get my girls outside (in the backyard, on walks, to the pool and to the park) more this year than I did last year! I think we need us more Vitamin D!!!

As a family I would like kevin and I to go on more dates and to spend time praying together...not just before a meal. I also want us to visit the Children's museum and the aquarium!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

In case your wondering...it is kev's shirt! I realized last year that he'd worn it two years in a row on Christmas Eve. This year I suggested a different look...but you can see who won. He said this is his official Christmas Eve outfit! I may have to hide it in a few years!!

I love looking back at our pics througout the years. It's amazing how much growing and changing happens in 365 days! I wonder what 2010 will hold?

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Christmas Eve...we didn't get a dog...our neighbors didand we got to puppy sit! Guess who wants a puppy now!!Everytime we leave our house and drive past ourneighbors ella says, "No Whit-nee dat my doggy!"Of course she is two and thinks everything is hers!

Oh how she loved the puppy!

Opening her new pj's!

Me and my eliza

Daddy and his girls and the puppy!

Daddy and Eliza

The girls!

Ella on Christmas morning by her tree!

She looks so excited! (note the miss patty-cake

dvd cases that she carries everywhere!)

Eliza's treeReady to begin!

Eliza's loot!

Dr. Ella checking out sissy!

We had such a fun and busy christmas! We are blessed with so much..more than we need!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Little miss Eliza is growing so fast. It definitely goes faster the second time around... which is so sad.

At 3 months-eliza is wearing 0-3 month clothes but is almost ready to start trying on some of her 3-6 month wardrobe! (I love that I have two girls that were born in the same season. She can wear all of ella's clothes and I love getting to see them on her and reuse them!)

-She is now wearing size 2 diapers! We have come a long way from those teeny tiny preemie diapers! (Last week after several diaper explosions,I decided it was time to go to a bigger size! Now, I really think it is just the huggies! I hate huggies for (breastfed babies)! I feel they are just not absorbent enough for runny poo! Is it only me or has anyone else had this problem? I love huggies for bigger babies! And why does huggies put out a ton more coupons than pampers??? Okay...off subject but that has been a big issue lately!

-eliza weighs about 11lbs 4oz. as of today! That is a gain of 5 lbs 3oz. in 3 months...so she has almost doubled her birth weight!

-eliza only likes to eat for about 10 minutes at a time! This is great, but I always hope she is really getting her tummy full enough! I always worry about my girls not eating enough...probably because they both started out tiny and I feel like it is my job to "beef" them up!

-eliza is a SUPER sleeper! She is sleeping from about 9:30pm until 6:30 or 7:00am. She needs no paci and doesn't even cry! I swaddle her and but her in her bassinet and she looks around until she falls asleep! Oh how I love her (i'd still love her ...even if she was waking all through the night..but this mama loves her sleep!)

-eliza is so sweet! She gives the best smiles! All you have to do is talk to her and she can't hold back! She is especially smiley after getting her tummy full! She seems to have a sweet and calm personality...so far (i do know they can change!)

-eliza loves her sissy and loves to smile at her. She pulled ella's hair for the first time yesterday and ella looked like she didn't quite know what to do! The beginning of the sister wars!!

-she loves to be held! She will stop crying immediately when mommy or daddy pick her up!

-she likes her bath

-she finally found her fingers and can't decide if she wants to suck her first two or the two middle ones. She is still alternating between the two. I am still trying to talk her into being a paci girl because they seem like a less germy option and an easier habit to end...but I think she will win!

-she is growing a full-on spike! Her hair is coming in stick straight and sticking straight up! It is def. going to be light brown or blonde. She's got her daddy's hair and hairline for sure!

-She is really changing in her looks. I still think she favors her cousin landon the most. She has a def. look of someone in my family and I just cannot figure it out!

A year ago this past Saturday...Dec. 19th was when we had a miscarriage at 10 weeks into a pregnancy. I never understand the "why's" of all that but I would never want to trade my eliza anne! If we hadn't had a miscarriage then we wouldn't have her. God is good when we don't understand or even like what is going on. He always knows what we need and has a bigger plan than we can see! I have seen this over and over in my life and I know that it is true. Happy 3 month Birthday!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

I cannot believe that it is the week of Christmas. I have been a bad blogger this week. Life seemed to be busy with finishing shopping and then my ella girl got sick again! She ran fever from Thursday morning until last night. It is gone today and she never got any other symptoms. We took her in on Friday because her cousins have all had strep so we thought it was probably that, but it wasn't...just another viral fever thing! I have had several moms tell me that it is just her age in attempts to make me feel better. I think she has just gotten run down and is having trouble fighting all the germs out there right now. So much from avoiding playgroups, Chucky Cheeses, the play center at chick-fli-a(the poor girl wants to do the slide so bad), and using hand sanitizers! It's not working for us! I am just thankful she is better...now if we can stay well until Thursday, I will have all I want for Christmas! I guess when there are 7 cousins under the age of 8, in one house...someone is bound to be sick!

Kevin and I saw the movie, The Blindside on my birthday. We both loved it and thought it was one of the best movies we'd ever seen. I highly recommend it! It was funny because as we were getting in the van to go...Kevin said, "wow, I've never driven a mini van on a date." And then I looked down and realized I was carrying my diaper bag rather than a purse (in my defense it doesn't look too much like a diaper bag)! We laughed at how life changes. In fact, we loved all 2 hours and 6 minutes of the movie just sitting there in silence. It was so nice to just sit and relax and know that we didn't have any responsibilities.

I have one more present to buy, which is a gift card for my dad because he is the hardest person I buy for. I did get him one little gift, but it is basically the same thing I get him every year. I also have a hard time shopping for Kevin. He never really wants anything. This morning he pulled out a new shirt with the tag still on it that I gave him for Christmas last year. I should have re-gifted it...he'd never known. He tried it on and decided he liked it....must be his new muscles! He has been working out like crazy for several months now. I am really proud of him. He seems to really enjoy it. He is wanting me to start P90X with him in Jan. but I am just not a good work-out girl. I enjoy walking and I would love to be a runner one day. I want to try it because I think it is one activity we could do together and that would be good for us!

We had to cancel seeing the lights this past week with our "older"friends from church due to ella's fever. I am hoping we can work it in this week. I also still need to make our Christmas cookies and a few reeses cookies that I make every year. I hope to have some good family time this week and enjoy Kevin being on vacation. So...it looks like we are...almost ready for Christmas!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Today is my 30th birthday! It's hard to believe that my 20's are already over...which is a sad thought. The 20's were really a great decade of life for me. I graduated college, got my first "real" job, got engaged, got married, built our first home, bought our second home, traveled to lots of fun places together, had three beautiful babies, and lots of other normal but blessed days in between. How can the 30's top all of that? I think the 20's are so great because it is a season of first!

I told Kevin today that the 30's make me think of growing kids, growing bellies, and growing older. Doesn't sound as exciting to me. I am sure there is still lots to look forward to!

We have had a busy but great day. Kev worked a short day and we picked him up and we all went to have Christmas pictures made. Stress! I never understood that until I had kids! Ella ans Eliza actually did well, but we had a long wait...which throws things off. Eliza was ready to nap by the time we got started!

We were waiting and I heard one of the photographers talking about how bad she felt and she even said she was running a fever!!!! I was being nosey and listening to their conversation and of course my ears perked up when I heard that!!! I thought....oh great...watch...she'll get us! And sure enough about two minutes later she said, "Julie." I wasn't sure what to do! Do I tell her that I overheard her say she was sick? Do I ask her for a diff. photographer? Do I leave?? After having two sick kids that are finally well...I might go to drastic measures to keep them well! I've even thought about screening the kids in the church nursery for runny noses, fever and coughs...before I let ella play! Just kidding, but the thought did cross my mind! So back to today....I am not one to create a scene...so I went with it and prayed over and over that those germs wouldn't land on us! We sanitized a few times too!

We left there and ate an early lunch at my favorite restaurant. Tonight we are going on a date all by ourselves! We are going to see the the movie The Blindside. I cannot wait. This will be our first alone date since April...I think! We are so excited! We are going all out with popcorn, candy and a big diet coke! We are so adventurous, you know! We said we might sit down and just sleep! I can't wait to not have any responsibilities for a few hours!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

When I think about the kind of women I want my little girls to grow up to be...I think of :wholesomekindsharinggivinghospitablegenerousclassysincerecaringpurelovingand I guess the list could continue. I really do desire for them to grow up to be Godly girls and eventually (a very long time from now) women. They will learn these characteristics from me! That's where it gets tough and the dreams I dream for my girls become a daily reality... in which I daily fall short! (Kev and I had this discussion last night as he was reminding me of my previous post on 1 Corinthians 13). They will learn to be hospitable because their mommy and daddy always welcomed others into their home. They will grow to be generous...because "we" always did that growing up. They will prayerfully remain pure because mommy and daddy have stressed purity and modesty throughout their lives. They will love others who are different, unlovely, and strange, because we will teach them how to. And while I know they will fail and make mistakes they will have a foundation of "how" to live!

I was thinking about all this the other day and something I read in last months Homelife magazine gave me a great idea. It is something that we are planning as a way our family can be generous and share some joy this Christmas season. The idea was to invite an elderly couple to go look at Christmas lights with your family. I thought this was such a great idea. We have many sweet "older" couples at church so we picked one and have invited them to go to the Light Festival at one of our local parks. I doubt this is something they would do on their own (esp. at night), and I think they will enjoy watching and hearing ella's reaction to the lights. So hopefully we can time it right (between eliza's feedings and bedtime) and have a great time sharing our Christmas Joy!! I'll take some pictures for you!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

I posted this poem on my blog last year and thought it was good enough to post again this year. What a good reminder for me. As much as I want to have a beautifully decorated home all warm and cozy, and want to have my kids adorned in the cutest Christmas fashions, and want to do cookie baking, gingerbread house making, and fun Christmas Crafts....I can do all that and miss the true meaning of Christmas with my family!

1 Corinthians 13-A Christmas Version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,

strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love, I am just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myrid of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Hoping that tom. will be our last doctor's appointment for a while. I think I mentioned in my last post that both girls were getting colds...right on the heels of ella's hand/foot and mouth. Well, it was actually RSV! Ella has done fine and feels much better except for an occasional croupy cough, but little miss Eliza's gave us quite a scare. Long story short she has been very congested, coughing, sneezing, and wheezing and has been on breathing treatments every four hours since fri. morning. Thankfully, I followed my instincts and took her back to the doctor when the peds plus (after hours) doctor sent us home after both her and the nurse heard her wheezing. I knew she wasn't breathing normally...or I thought so. Isn't it so hard to know as a parent when to go and when to wait it out??? I always struggle to know...but she is just too young for me to be comfortable waiting it out and thankfully I took her back! Tomorrow will be our EIGHTH doctor's visit in two weeks. One was a well check and two have been follow-ups. Whew!! Everytime I go I just wonder what we will pick-up for the next week.

I am thankful for our doctors, modern medicine, friends and family that pray, and that hopefully we are on the mend! It's been a LONG two weeks!

So this holiday season hasn't started out quite like I wanted. I am really looking forward to the weeks left this month when we can hopefully enjoy this holiday season. Check back this week for ella's tour of our home for the holidays and a few things our family is doing to focus on the true meaning of Christmas!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

I have been so sleepy today. I feel like I need toothpicks to hold my eyes open. That's not a good thing when you're the mom! I finally have both girls resting...for the moment and what do I do...sit down to check the computer! I guess all my caffeine has finally kicked in or I'd be on the couch!

Ella is finally getting better. She ran a low grade fever last night, which was day 8 of this terrible virus and is fever free today so far! We are now just waiting for the blisters in her mouth to go completely away and she'll be good to go. It was terrible and I am so glad she is better. She is beginning to eat again and I don't feel like we have to push the liquids like we were. Both girls have colds now which is a bummer. Ella was 6 months old when she got her very first cold...and eliza is 10 weeks. I guess that is normal when you have a toddler in the house. Poor eliza, she cannot stand her nose being stuffy! We are so thankful that she didn't take hand, foot and mouth! So far at least...and I think if she was she'd have it already!

After a week of illness I feel like we are back at square one with discipline, sleep and etc. for ella. Don't you just hate that. Things get all out of order when kids are so sick and you are literally in survival mode! This week we are back to the basics...which means meals at the table, sleeping in our own beds, and obedience! SO much fun!

I can't believe it is already December. The years just fly! I will be celebrating a big birthday next week and I can't believe it! I must be growing up!

I better go! Ella is yelling from her crib that she is all done with her nap. I don't think she even got one but I was hoping for a little afternoon break! I just heard.."mama, come mare!" She has such a country twang when she says it!